TPG Telecom has reported that a Sydney customer tragically died after their older mobile phone software was unable to make a Triple Zero (000) emergency call. The incident occurred on November 13, and the NSW Ambulance notified the company yesterday. TPG confirmed that its mobile network was fully operational and experienced no outages.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the failure was due to the customer’s Samsung device running software incompatible with the network’s Triple Zero functionality. Samsung stated on its official website that some older devices “cannot correctly connect to an alternative mobile network to make Triple Zero calls when the primary network is unavailable.”
The company has advised affected users to urgently update or replace their devices. It also noted that devices not updated within 28 to 35 days after the first notification will be blocked, in compliance with new regulations. The most recent customer notification was sent on November 7.
TPG Managing Director and CEO Inaki Berroeta emphasized that customer safety is the company’s “highest priority” and urged users to immediately update or replace their phones.
Communications Minister Anika Wells stated that the incident will be thoroughly investigated. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) will assess whether TPG complied with the Emergency Call Service Determination.